There are 74 stored owner reports matching the air bags & restraints leading-label group for the 1997 Ford Explorer in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 74 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT ENGAGE TO THE LOCK POSITION.
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NO LONGER SECURELY LATCH. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER 2 DOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD BECOME UNLATCHED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE SEAT BELT NEEDED REPLACING. THE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 187,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER . THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DISENGAGE THE SEAT BELT WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BUCKLE. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE TO THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT DOES NOT FEEL SAFE HAVING HIS CHILD'S SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT INSTALLED IN THE REAR SEAT DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 223,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 224,500.
I WAS IN A FRONTAL CRASH ON 01/24/2012 THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.CAUSING INJURIES, SEAT BELTS WERE WORE. *TT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT ATTACH. IF IT DID ATTACH, IT WOULD RELEASE WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
1997 FORD EXPLORER DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LATCH RECEIVER FAILURE. AFTER OWNING THE CAR FOR 12 TO 13 YEARS, THE LATCH/RECEIVER WOULD NOT ENGAGE THE STRAP. I REPLACED IT WITH ONE FROM A SALVAGE YARD AND AFTER THREE YEARS THIS REPLACEMENT LATCH/RECEIVER HAS FAILED ALSO. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK IT. THE HIGHWAY PATROL HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT IN ORDER FOR HER TO GET OUT OF IT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE LIABLE FOR REPLACING THE SEAT BELT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 213,000. UPDATED 10/21/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/20/09*JB
THE SEATBELT ON THE DRIVER SIDE COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. U CAN BUCKLE ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER IT COMES UNDONE BY ITSELF. EVEN ACCELERATES WHILE DRIVING. *TR
I OWN A 1997 FORD EXPLORER AWD 5.0 LITER. THE SEAT BELT LATCH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NO LONGER HOLDS THE SEAT BELT IN PLACE AFTER I BUCKLE UP. IN ORDER TO DRIVE, I HAVE TO INSERT THE SEAT BELT INTO THE LATCH ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. WHEN I DO THIS THE SEAT BELT NOW CROSSES MY NECK, AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. IT ALSO MEANS I CANNOT SAFELY DRIVE THE AUTO WITH A PASSENGER BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WON'T WORK. ON A NORMAL LATCH, I CAN PUSH DOWN THE RED RELEASE BUTTON AND CAN FEEL THE SPRING ACTION. ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE, THERE IS NO SPRING TENSION ON THE RED RELEASE BUTTON. *TR
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE THE 1997 FORD EXPLORER WITH 134800 FAILURE MILEAGE THE DRIVER'S FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED. THE SEAT BELTWAS DIFFICULT TO BUCKLE AND WOULD UNLATCH WHILE DRIVING . THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN TO A DEALER ,AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135000.*AK
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING AROUND A CURVE, AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE ICY AND SNOWY. THE DRIVER HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD ON AND THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THERE WERE TWO OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE THAT WERE NOT INJURED. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE DRIVER WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT. ONE OF THE PASSENGERS REMOVED THE SEAT BELT AND THE OTHER PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WAS NOT ON SO THAT THEY COULD GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE PASSENGER REMOVED THE SEAT BELT FROM THE DRIVER AS WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW SHOP WHERE IT REMAINED. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THE TOW SHOP PLANNED TO SELL PARTS OF THE VEHICLE. ITWAS UNKNOWN WHETHER THERE WERE PICTURES TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD A POLICE REPORT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS IN THE PAST. *AK
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF HIS VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RESTRAIN. THE CONTACT RECEIVED INJURIES TO THE SHOULDER AND NECK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE DRIVER SEAT. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE SEAT WAS DETACHED FROM THE BASE AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ UPDATED 1/19/2012 *LN *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALL 5 SEATBELT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE PROPERLY. THE FRONT LEFT AND FRONT RIGHT BUCKLES FAILED TO RELEASE AND THE BELTS HAD TO BE CUT TO RELEASE THE OCCUPANTS. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE SEATBELTS. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT DISENGAGE. UPDATED 12/01/06. *JB
SAFETY PROBLEM WITH BACK SEAT BELTS. WHEN ON VACATION WE HAD A SERIOUS PROBLEM THE BACK SEAT BELTS LOCKING UP SEVERAL TIMES EACH DAY. THE SEAT BELTS ON ONE OR BOTH SIDES WOULD NOT RELEASE SO THEY COULD BE APPLY AROUND 2 SMALL CHILDREN AND WE HAD TO PULL & YANK THE BELTS SEVERAL TIMES TO GET THE BELTS TO RELEASE. THE SUV WAS OFF AND THE BRAKE WAS NOT APPLY AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEMS. THIS PROBLEM COULD DISCOURAGE SEAT BELT USEAGE. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH A VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THIS WAS A SIDE AND FRONTAL IMPACT AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE SEAT BELTS WERE IN USE. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. UPON INSPECTION THE STEERING WHEEL WAS SEPARATED THREE MILLILITERS AS IF THE AIR BAG WAS GOING TO DEPLOY. THE AIRBAG WARNING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.
I HAVE 2 COMPLAINTS ONE OF WHICH WHILE LOOKING ONLINE SEE THAT MANY OTHER FORD OWNERS ALSO SEEM TO HAVE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATER BLEND BOX DOOR NOT WORKING AND BLOWING HOT AIR WHEN IN THE VENT POSITION. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM NOT ONLY ON EXPLORER MODELS BUT RANGES, F150 AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE REPAIR AS STATED ONLINE BY OTHERS AS WELL AS FROM THE DEALER IS OVER $1000.00. IT SEEMS THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS PART WITH SO MANY PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS GET STUCK ON OUR EXPLORER IT IS THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH SOMETIMES TAKES 10 TO 15 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL WORK. *JB
SEAT BELT BUCKLE LATCH MECHANISM HAS FAILED FOR THE DRIVERS SEAT IN MY 1997 FORD 4 DOOR 4X4 EXPLORER
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO STAY LATCHED, OR SOMETIMES BECOMES UNLATCHED WITH DRIVERS FORWARD BODY MOTION (EXTEND LINE OF SIGHT, CHANGE RADIO/CLIMATE SETTINGS, TURN ON LIGHTS, ETC.). AS A RESULT, THE SEAT BELT IS NOT A RELIABLE SAFETY RESTRAINT. I AM HAVING PROBLEMS FIND A REPLACEMENT PART.
I DRIVE A 1997 FORD EXPLORER XLT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT TODAY BECAME UNLATCHED WHEN I HIT THE BREAKS HARD. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED. HAD I HIT ANOTHER CAR, I WOULD HAVE GONE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. FORD WANTS TO CHARGE ME $100 FOR THE REPAIR. *JB
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: May 4, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.